So, further to my recent blog post about searching for a new, lightweight bass rig. I’ve now pretty much made the decision as to what that’s going to consist of. Hence I’ve got three amps for sale. These amps need to go, buyers should be able to collect, but I don’t mind delivering them myself if it’s not too far from Newport, South Wales. All the prices quoted here are up for negotiation.

Get in touch via facebook or twitter or e-mail me at andy@andylong.org.uk (go to the contacts page on this site).

Various sizes, let’s start with the smallest.

Fender 25B. This is a 25 watt practice amp with a fantastic sound. I’ve even been able to use it for small gigs or worship group sessions. Vinyl covering with a carry handle. £50 o.no.

Gallien-Krueger Backline 112. 100 watt kickback combo. Two channel input with some kind of built-in distortion function. Nice sound, I’ve used this for some gigs and theatre shows where space is tight. The carpet covering on top of the amp is slightly frayed, but not too bad (thanks cats!) £100 o.no.

Ashdown ABM 400. This has been my main gigging combo for the last year or so. It’s a few years old and has had a speaker replacement so it now houses a 15 inch Wembley Loudspeaker (http://www.wembleyloudspeaker.com). This amp is a truly fantastic piece of kit, the best live sound I’ve ever had. It really cuts through the band and has tremendous presence and quality. I’ll be sad to see it go, but it’s physically too heavy for me and that’s the only reason I’m putting it up for sale.

The rear panel of the vinyl covering has been cut away by the previous owner when the speaker was replaced, leaving bare wood. This is not all that bad as it can’t be seen in a gig situation. I still have the panel if the buyer wants to stick it back on again. £250 o.no.

If anyone out there is interested in any of these amps, please do get in touch and let’s deal. Also, if you could repost this blog anywhere I would be grateful

Spent the afternoon in a basement bar in Swansea, a bass player gathering called Deep Discussions, organised by a new friend, Peter Cullen. It was well attended, I guess about twenty five bass players and the official bass count was 39. A simple idea, come along, bring your gear, drool over everybody else’s gear, try some amps and stuff and watch Alun Vaughan doing his thing. Here’s a few pics

We found another beautiful National Trust property to visit today. Newark Park started life as a Tudor Hunting Lodge and is located in Ozleworth, Gloucestershire. Like many similar houses it was extended and remodelled several times during it’s lifespan and in the late eighteenth century was bought by a wealthy clergyman, Rev. Clutterbuck who set about landscaping the grounds and improving the house.

The property came to the National Trust in 1949 in a sorry state and was let out as a residential care home for about twenty years and was then let to an American tenant, Robert Parsons, in 1970. Parsons sank a fortune into the place and rebuilt and remodelled extensively.

In recent years the Trust have taken management of the property again and have opened it to the public.

The gardens are extensive and for the most part presented in an informal, semi-wild style, with swathes of wild plants dominating the steep banks. There is a more formal, walled garden next to the house presented in an italian style. A small lake below the house is a perfect wildlife habitat and a small, recently discovered summerhouse must have been a perfect viewing station.

On the day of our visit much of the house was given over to an exhibition of art. A bit of a disappointment to me to be honest as I enjoy seeing the rooms of these houses staged in various periods and much of the art on display was lost on me. If you can explain to me the significance of a fireplace full of feathers or a skeletal mattress suspended above a mirror, well don’t bother to be honest. I’ll come back another day and see the house properly. One or two of the rooms were well presented though, here’s a couple more pictures.

There was an unexpected bonus to our visit today, they were holding a vintage car rally, with some superb models on show. See the next post for some photos.

I’ve got a few amps sitting around my house, but the one I use most of the time is an Ashdown ABM400 combo. I bought it last year from ebay, it’s got a few miles on the clock but it sounds fantastic. Problem is it weighs as much as a baby hippopotamus and I am getting too long in the tooth to hump this beast up three flights of stairs to the function room.

Looks not dissimilar to this one. Recently I’ve been thinking that what I could really do with is one lightweight all-rounder, an amp that is easily portable, but has enough power and presence to stand up in the band setting.

I don’t play at huge volumes so there is potential for a smaller rig that would fit every situation. I could sell the four amps that I’m currently sitting on, although none of them are worth much money but this would go some way to financing a new set-up.

Have been browsing online and talking to a few shops and these are some of the models I’m currently looking at. There’s no rush to make a decision, I want to get it right first time.

Any opinions on these amps welcome, or any recommendations for others to check out.

TC Electronic BH500 with a 2*12 and a 2*10. A great looking set-up at a fantastic price, the cabs are light-ish, but maybe not lightweight enough, however for most gigs one cab would suffice.

Markbass Little Mark 250 Black Line with 2*10 cab. This is probably looking favourite at the moment. A lighter weight cab and I know the Markbass stuff sounds great.

Our most recent National Trust visit was to Tyntesfield, near Bristol. The NT website describes this house as:

“A fine Victorian country house created by one of England’s richest commoners, William Gibbs, who built his fortune on fertiliser.”

To be honest you could have worded that slightly better guys! Thankfully the house itself is not (as far as I know) built on fertiliser. It’s a huge house in excellent condition and has it’s own chapel attached, as many of these houses do.

I really enjoy poking around these old houses and hearing the guides talk about the history of the house and the family that owned it. The rooms within the house have been staged to represent different stages of its history and it’s fascinating to see the paintings, furniture and other antiquities that houses like this bring together.

But even more than that I love exploring the gardens. I’m officially middle-aged now so I am allowed to enjoy gardening, my own garden has become a favourite place to enjoy, despite its small size and urban setting, but I really love huge, sprawling gardens and enjoy pinching ideas for plants and design.

Tyntesfield has a really lovely kitchen garden and a couple of small, formal gardens to enjoy. Here’s a few pics of the house and Garden, we’ll be making another visit soon. Oh yeah, Gromit was there too.